Review of Ping Pong the Animation

I have just finished watching it for the third time. I mean, no big deal, just eleven episodes, roughly 20 minutes each. I started yesterday, I wanted to show it to my nephews and my daughter. We've managed to watch two episodes, they were not completely bought in. Once they left, I just continued watching, shaking my head after each episode. It's unbelievable how you could create something so good. Even though the title says Ping Pong, it doesn't really matter what would it be. The questions that the anime asks are of the nature of challenge, the nature of talent, is it possible to havea talent that you don't want, is it possible to want a talent and don't have it, is it possible to overcome the lack of talent. It is refreshing to see a Japanese manga author take the topic so seriously, so realistically, with such care.

It's a really deep psychological series. All of the possible outcomes are shown all at once through the lens of varied characters. Smile, Peco, Dragon, Akuma, Wenge and a strong cast of supporting characters, each with their own stories, each with their own motivations, each with their own hardships.

The way I recommend watching it is to focus on character motivations. That really is something that drove me into this. Seeing real people in real life situations, with that - sort of - larger than life problems that are associated with coming of age stories.

The artwork is special, it's something entirely different from what the regular anime viewers are used to, but it is beautiful, clever and just suits the story perfectly.

The dialogues are excellent, the story impeccable.

I guess a disclaimer is in order. I used to train sports when I was younger and I love most of the sport animes, even though you know perfectly well what is going to happen (we play a game, we lose, we train, we overcome, we come against stronger opponent, probably overcome them pulling a rabbit from the hat [or if the anime / manga is really good we lose again] and the cycle continues). Therefore I was able to identify with all of the characters, I can understand them. Not sure how it translates for people who have never played a sport on a semi-pro level.

Regardless, you can watch it all in just below 4h and that is a treat. Just try to understand, the action here is the tension between characters and their goals. Between what is limiting them and their struggle to see the view up top.